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Theories of Juvenile Delinquency

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Juvenile Delinquency and Disability

Part of the book series: Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development ((ARAD))

Abstract

This chapter provides an overview of the major theories that attempt to explain the etiology of juvenile delinquency. Philosophers and researchers have tried to explain the causes of juvenile delinquency since early Greek and Roman times, with theories ranging from a simple and straightforward rationale that indicates that a juvenile makes a rational choice to commit an illegal act to biologically based theories that maintain that certain youth have genetic or biological predispositions toward engaging in delinquent behaviors. The major theoretical perspectives regarding juvenile delinquency are discussed in this chapter, including classical theories, psychological theories, sociological theories, control theories, biological theories, and labeling theories. There is some empirical evidence to support various theories; however, few, if any, theories account for the complexity observed among juvenile offenders and the variety of risk factors found to be associated with delinquency and recidivism. In addition, few theories address the impact that cognitive, developmental, educational, and/or mental health disabilities may have on youth who engage in illegal acts. Nevertheless, theoretical explanations of juvenile delinquency are still important to consider when assessing a juvenile’s risk for reoffending, when conducting research on causal factors, and when developing empirically based intervention and prevention programs for at-risk and delinquent youth since such theories provide hypotheses regarding possible factors that contribute to juvenile delinquency.

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  1. University of Arizona, Tuscon, AZ, USA

    Kristin C. Thompson & Richard J. Morris

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  1. Kristin C. Thompson
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  2. Richard J. Morris
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Thompson, K.C., Morris, R.J. (2016). Theories of Juvenile Delinquency. In: Juvenile Delinquency and Disability. Advancing Responsible Adolescent Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-29343-1_4

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